The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-03
Dangers Encountered in Trying to Wear
Costumes Copied from Bernhardt.
An Eloquent and Pallid Young Man Perpc-
trates a Sell ON Temperance Meeting
Actor Worship by Silly New York Girls.
'pecial to the Indianapolis JournsL

ordinary occasions of the sort only as one star |
differs from another in effulgence That is to |
say, everything was in very high degree of |
good taste and unstrained luxury. The thing |
worth mentioning especially was the lntroduc-
games. 1t is an awful fact to be set down
against the moral sense of fashionable women,
that they have small conception Of honest gam
bling, even though the stakes be trophies of vic
tory more beautiful than valuable, and the place
be the politest imaginable parlor. They will
usually cheat whenever aud however they get ia
chance. The pleasures of progressive euchre,
as you doubtless have experienced. are too often
marred by brazen dishonesty. The women will
beg ribbons, or tags, or whatever serves to mark
the number of games won, and the susceptible
men will accede; and SO it often happens that the
abest wheedler comes out first prize winner
against better and luckier players Well, at the
Astor party simple preventive of cheating was
provided in set of punches. One of these cut
a round hole in card for ordinary games won;
another recorded victory at the head table with
a crescent while third made square clips for
the BOBBY table. The punching was done by
the hostess and SO each contestants card was
an unalterable registry.
While much ado is being made about the moth
ing of Mrs. James Brown Potter's stage debut.
the appearance of Mrs. Fred Vanderbilt as a
public vocalist has been overlooked. But it was
not ostentatiously done, and it was not meant as
the beginning of a footlight career The ladies
of the family are thoroughly interested in chari
ties. Bishop Potter tells me that, collectively,
they do not disburse less than half a million
year. not taking into account the several heavy
endowments of institutions that the Vanderbilts
have made. It will be of no use for any reader
of this fact to forward begging letters to them,
because they give only to such causes as they
personally know ali about and pay no attention
to solicitations from strangers. Mrs Fred Van
derbilts pet beneyoence is sewing for
poor girls. Over il Stanton street. whicE runs
through the thickest tenement district of town,
she maintains house wherein girls are welcome
to the services of competent needlewomen. and
where they can e. themselves for domestic sew
ing or shop work It was here that she sang.
She gave musical entertainment for the pupils,
their mothers and score of invited friends The
assemblage was exclusively feminine, even to the
performers. Songs were sung, different instru
ments were played and refreshments were after
wards served. Mrs. Vanderbilt sang Comm
through the Rye and "Annie Laurie very
| sweerly indeed. and to tumultuous applause.
| EXQUISITE audiences are apt to be more critical
| of its own members, sometimes, than Of the per-
sons at the other side of the footlights This
| was at an amateur concert:
This is nsufferable," whispered woman to
another.
30 thought the singine.was rather clever,n
was the reply
II didn't refer to the performance" the first
/ explained. ''but the obnoxious people around US.
/ There's a girl with dreadfully inharmopious
| green and purple in her hat. Over this way is
horror of misft in bodices And yonder; see
that delicate pink satin is just killed by the red
| of the hair that hangs down it."
Who shall say that taste is not exacting at
amateur entertainments!
Very modish girls, Of the set which gives itself
up considerably to physical sports have really
| gone into fencing spiritedly. Although no long
er Of value for its original purposes fencing will
ever remain unequaled among manly sports as
| exercise developing quick movement, erect
carriage. graceful posture, and complete accord
/ Of eye hand and foot. 1t can never again be-
| popular with the masses, but will be continued
/ to be studied and practced by select few, and
| especially by those who, thinking themselves
| better than their fellows, wish to be peculiar in
| their sports, as in everything else Failure to
appreciate the fact has led several swordsmen to
waste time, labor, and money in futile attem pts
to enlist popular sympathy and obtain support
| from the general public, but these misguided
professors haYe, one after another been starved
| fa1 9th thode of
livelihood, and our existing fencing masters
adopt more sensible methods-do not try to
thrust their game down the throats of people
who 90 not understand or appreciate IT, but
rather cater only to the chosen few avoid pub.
licity. and make their school exclusive and ex-
pensive Managed in this way, they can
live, and do live. IN addition to its
public, or semi-public. academies, New York
city has afencing club whose membership will
include the of many fashionable women,
which has its own building, its own professor.
and occasionally gives private entertain ments
open only to invited guests The ladies' who accept
ed these invitations and enjoyed the sport were
quick to see that this was an exercise mos.
suited women-a tonic for both body and
mind-a panacea for all sorts OF complaints
sport whose practice was not only enjoyable
but extremely fascinating and whose result
gave roses to the cheek, fire to the eye supple
ness to the joints. strength and litheness to the
limbs dignity to the carriage, graesfulness te
every movemenI-in fact, almost everything
which is lacking in the physical development o
the average American woman. And these
ladies, one by one, found fencing school
procured clothing which, while both neat ant
modest, allowed full play to all the muscles, ant
are to-day the most attentive and most enthusi
astic pupils in al our schools.
Tuxedo is a question with our richest and
most fashionable folks. Shall they affect i: dur
ing the coming season9 1t is contradiction
While it is -exclusive," IN that sense of tn
abused word which implies a rigid consideration
of the social quaiity of applicants for admission
1t is also place Of blazing publicity where TIL
visitors pose for exhibition to all the world TIL
Astors have sanctioned it to the extent of build
| ing house there--a curious structure cru
tesquelv picturesque, in which they will lods
awhile when the opens. On the oihe
| hand several families of less familiarity t